1. Field of the Disclosure
The technology of the disclosure relates to a pulling grip for installing a fiber optic assembly. The pulling grip may be used to pull a fiber optic assembly into position during installation.
2. Technical Background
Benefits of optical fiber use include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise operation. Because of these advantages, optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. As a result, fiber optic communications networks include a number of interconnection points at which multiple optical fibers are interconnected such as in data centers at racks, patch panels, and the like. Other interconnection points can include, but are not limited to, network access point (NAP) enclosures, aerial closures, below grade closures, pedestals, optical network terminals (ONTs) and network interface devices (NIDs). By way of example, interconnections points in the data center occur between truck cables and distribution cables in an equipment rack or the like. In order to cost effectively and rapidly deploy a data center network, it is desirable to terminate the optical fibers of the cables in a controlled factory environment, thereby forming a high-quality plug and play assembly.
Fiber optic cables having optical fibers terminated to fiber optic connectors at the factory are referred to herein as “preconnectorized.” Preconnectorized cables permit connectivity in the field without removing the jacket of the distribution cable, polishing ferrules and the like, and thereby exposing the optical fibers to adverse environmental conditions, such as moisture, dirt, or dust. Use of preconnectorized cables in a fiber optic communications network can present certain challenges. First, a terminated end of the preconnectorized cable often times must be pulled to a desired location during installation through relatively tight spaces and/or small diameter conduits.
Thus, a terminated end of the fiber optic cable can be provided within a pulling grip. A furcation plug of a fiber optic assembly and furcated legs extending from the furcation plug are placed inside the pulling grip prior to pulling. When pulled, the pulling grip is capable of transferring a high tensile load to the fiber optic cable without inducing relative movement between the furcated legs, the furcation plug, and the fiber optic cable. However, the loading of the conventional pulling grip housings can be labor intensive, because the fiber optic components are typically loaded one at a time in the pulling grip. Thus, fiber optic cables are typically outfitted with a pulling grip in the factory and used for an individual fiber optic cable assembly.